Police say Eli Dobbs, 29, stole a Gibson ES 330 guitar, similar to the one pictured above, while he was cat-sitting at a South Beach home.Photo from Gibson.com

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A 29-year-old Oakwood man helping his girlfriend cat-sit for one of her friends made off with an $8,000 Gibson ES-330 electric guitar and some tools and jewelry, police allege.

The theft happened inside a home on Xenia Street in South Beach, sometime after the occupant went on a trip on July 14, police allege. On Tuesday, detectives arrested Eli M. Dobbs, of the 300 block of Oak Street.

Dobbs admitted to the theft in a statement, according to court papers:

"I Eli Miles Dobbs took the ... property without consent while feeding (their) cats on or about the third week of July. I sold it at three locations on Staten Island and acquired $980 for all the property... I'm truly sorry for taking (their) things and did so to feed family and pay bills. I was with my friend who I don't want to name when selling guitar at Guitar Center. We received a lot of money for it. We sold it in East Brunswick."

Dobbs is charged with third-degree grand larceny and third-degree criminal possession of stolen property, according to information from District Attorney Daniel Donovan's office.

Dobbs, who was arraigned Wednesday in Stapleton Criminal Court, remains in custody on Rikers Island on $2,500 bond or $1,000 cash bail until his next court appearance Oct. 7.